Labor Day bridge tips offered

Traffic was backed up earlier this summer on eastbound U.S. 54 due to the high volume of traffic on the highway as cars prepare to enter the bridge. Traffic is expected to be high this Labor Day weekend as the westbound Missouri River Bridge won't be open.
Traffic was backed up earlier this summer on eastbound U.S. 54 due to the high volume of traffic on the highway as cars prepare to enter the bridge. Traffic is expected to be high this Labor Day weekend as the westbound Missouri River Bridge won't be open.

The westbound Missouri River Bridge in Jefferson City will remain closed this holiday weekend as the repair and repainting work continues, which means this year's Labor Day holiday traffic will be crossing the river on one bridge with only two lanes of traffic in each direction.

The Missouri Department of Transportation's original plan was to have the bridge open to traffic before this Labor Day weekend. But when crews found more problems than estimated originally, MoDOT officials said the westbound bridge would remain closed until late September or sometime in October.

"We encourage drivers to allow extra time for their travels," MoDOT spokeswoman Sally Oxenhandler told the News Tribune on Wednesday, "and to slow down and pay attention when crossing the bridge.

"It's likely we'll see additional traffic on the bridge on Friday afternoon - when folks are heading to the Lake of the Ozarks and other destinations - as well as on Monday when they are returning home."

She noted MoDOT offers "several tools to help drivers stay informed about the bridge traffic," including:

Four traffic cameras - on the project website, at www.modot.org/central/MORiverBridgeJC.htm, show live traffic conditions on and near the bridges.

The cameras are located on the east and west sides of the bridges at the U.S. 50/63 interchange with Missouri Boulevard and on Missouri Boulevard, west of Stadium (near Walmart and Target).

MoDOT's Traveler Information Map - located at www.modot.org - which provides a variety of tools to help drivers see current traffic conditions on the bridge, including incidents, real-time traffic flow and traffic cameras.

The incidents map notes vehicle crashes and other incidents, informing drivers the road is closed, to expect delays or that delays are possible.

The "real-time traffic flow" map also shows traffic is moving normally in green; traffic moving at a medium rate, in yellow; and red showing traffic is moving slowly.

Oxenhandler said the department also offers a 24-hour, toll-free number - 888-275-6636 - where callers can speak with a customer service representative to get the latest traffic information. The number is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week and every day of the year.

Most importantly, she said, "Because traffic does move slowly through the work zone, travelers are reminded to buckle up, drive with caution and keep their eyes on the road."

And pay attention to speed limits, which have been reduced in the construction zone, she said.